Tour de Temple

We are so lucky to live "close" to so many temples.  OK, I know that close is a relative term, but we have had some great trips this year.  Our temple, Columbia SC is just under four hours.  Here are some of our memories.
     SLC Temple--the night after they took the lights down--the place was a ghost town.  I have never been there with so few people.  We stopped on our way home to TN.  I took the older kids to do baptisms and David took the littles to look around.  Most memorable event was Parker ripping his Sunday pants to shreds after the temple.  His already too small pants had lost a button, he was sick and pretty miserable.  He said that his choices were to stay in the van in the freezing cold, walk around Temple Square in the freezing cold or go to the temple.  I guess he wanted to be warm.  We also ate at the cafeteria--always a treat.
     Kansas City Temple-- also on the way home.  Quiet day and a nice experience.  David did baptisms with the kids.  I also went in and looked around and did some initiatories.  The temple is beautiful--is has the same lay-out and general feel as the Brigham City Temple.
     Orlando, Florida--David traveled their for work.  He said the grounds and location were amazing.
     St. Louis, Missouri--Another travel trip for David--Eastman just bought a company that is just minutes from the temple--he been their a few times for work.
     Columbia, SC--Eliza, Parker, and Michael--youth temple trip.  They drove down with their friends and all reported that it is much more fun to go with their friends than us!!
     Nashville, TN--David had some church training, so me and the littles joined him.  We stayed at our favorite La Quinta, swam, temple, and Ed Venture Museum.  The memorable part of that was me taking the little ones to the museum and getting asked if I was single, along with a friendly fellow's business card--awkward!  We would still have yet another encounter--on the way out I was dragging KK  from the gift shop (major fit wanting something), William was running through the parking lot headed for a busy street, Grace was carrying Clark and Peter was trying to catch up to William--the friendly fellow cut William off before he headed to the street--and of course that sent William into hysterics. He helped me corral them all to the van.  After this heroic effort he invited us to the library!?  Oh, and somewhere in all of this mess, Clark threw up and his extra clothes got left at the hotel--never to be seen again.  David's training with Elder Oaks was very up-lifting and spiritual. :)
     Columbia, SC--Good Friday Stake Temple Day.  David had work off, so we went to stay with great friend April.  Great bed and breakfast.  Easter egg hunt with empty eggs--fun without too much crying.  A yummy picnic, thanks to April and beautiful spring weather.

Looking forward to some more temple trips across the world.
What are some of your favorite temple memories?  Where have you traveled?  Where will you go--are you visiting any new temples?
    








Grandpa Cannon

Over the holidays we played some fun games. At Richard and Lorie's house we played "Imaginiff". The question was "Imagine if... you were at a fancy resturant, who would be mostly likely (from those playing the game) to take a bite of food from everyone's plate?" I think we ALL voted for my Dad. After we got home, I was looking through our pictures and I found these gems that document what we have all experienced!

"Hummm..Katherine seems to have a pretty good grip on her ice cream..."

"Maybe I can get a taste from Peter..."

"If i can just go in nice and easy..."

Going in the the kill!

Katherine celebrates, but little does she know that she is next!

Thanks for the great lunch, Grandpa!  We love you!

Grandpa Cannon

Over the holidays we played some fun games.  At Richard and Lorie's house we played "Imaginif".  The question was "Imagine if... you were at a fancy resturant, who would be mostly likely (from those playing the game) to take a bite of food from everyone's plate?"  I think we ALL voted for my Dad.  After we got home, I was looking through our pictures and I found these gems that document what we have all experienced!

Stay Tuned

We are all doing well--happy and healthy.  It has been a LONG time since I've really written anything, although I've got lots of good fodder for posts.  Often as I am in "the thick" of something I think this would be a great blog-----so stay tuned.  Good things are coming.  I just need to ease into this slowy and see if anyone is still out there waiting and wondering what we are up to (anyone besides my Mom!)

Clark turned 1

Some pics from the only party we had.

Grandma Pieper--96 Wonderful Years

Mary Olsen Pieper
Katherine, Sadie, William and Tyler discover the Toy Drawer

Fun times with Grandma

Dear Grandma,

I love you and will miss you. I loved coming to your house. Some of my memories:

• Your raspberry jam on homemade bread. Raspberries will always remind me of you.
• Spending the night--wearing long, crocheted stockings with jingle bells on them. (I can still remember how they felt on my feet).
• Reading scriptures after dinner. Sometimes several chapters--that seemed like an ETERNITY. We would each read a chapter or two. When I was young I almost could not handle this.
• Playing rummy, doing puzzles.
• The pink bathroom and using powder when we got out of the shower.
• Thanksgiving Dinner--my favorite was your stuffing. We had long tables set up all over the house. We would even use the old ping-pong tables and then after dinner we would play ping-pong.
• Playing at the school and park. We loved the cannon at the Rigby City Park.
• Walking "to town"--Ben Franklin's to buy a fun treat. Grandma would give us a little bit of change.
• The flour and sugar drawers. I loved these. Also, the fun assortment of little silverware.
• Eating on the placemats--they were scenic photos from the area where Grandma and Grandpa served their mission. Bullhead City--Dolan Springs, AZ. We went to visit them--a wonderful family trip. Aunt Brenda and Uncle Gabe came with us. I remember hunting for lizards and feeding burros on the streets.
• Getting out the old filmstrips and watching "the original" Johnny Lingo. I believe they had a whole set of filmstrips that were from their mission. We used to love to set up the film projector, tape player and watch these. Some great "vintage" memories.
• "Yo Triumphi" Not even sure how to spell that--an old cheer from Grandma's days at Box Elder. I'm sure that any of the Taylor girls could do this for us!
• Grandma teaching me how to crochet. I think I'll make something and have a good cry!
• Your dedication to the gospel--working in the temple, doing genealogy work, and serving others.
• I loved going downstairs--it was almost a scary thrill. Especially the root cellar and the "coffin" It was fun to look through the old books and records.
• Playing with cousins in the "Jungle Room"--we could lock each other in there by closing the door and pulling out the built-in clothes hamper. This probably resulted in quite a few tears over the years.
• Watching hours and hours of cable TV--this was when our family had NO TV for a while and then VERY limited reception, so this was a HUGE treat.
• The family museum--it was always fun to go in there and snoop around at all the cool treasures.
• The toy drawer in the kitchen--old roller skates, the blue fabric donkey that was missing a limb or two, plastic pig, cows, the set of "jailer" keys.
• The smell of the compost bucket under the kitchen sink--I actually like that smell.
• Using the TV trays and feeling REALLY cool.
• Lots of unconditional love and a wonderful example of faith and endurance.
• The "chicken" filled with sweet treats and goodies.

I am grateful for your life. I wished that we lived closer and could be with everyone this week. I am sad that things are going to change. I do not like that. I wish that every time I stopped in Rigby, you would be there with your arms open and a treat in the cookie jar. It is sad for me, but I am so happy for you. What a reunion in heaven. I'll see you soon.

Love, Marilyn

KK keeps on bringing me flowers from the yard and little notes, because I keep crying.

Oops

It seems like this blog is becoming a chronicle of our "accidents". This actually happened last summer just before our summer trip. Michael was playing in the pool and whacked his tooth on the side of the pool--sending the other half to the depths. It took a while to get an appointment for Michael so this was his grin for a few days. They did file the sharp edges and got him in a few days later. We had a good time teasing him about fitting right in here in TN. It has been fine and I actually forgot about it until we read about cousin Kate's little mishap earlier this week. We decided to put Michael's crooked smile up, so that they could compare their great smiles. Grateful for good dentists and insurance!